Jack Corson

Seward Ernest “Jack” Corson, age 96, went home to be with his Lord on Sunday, July 7, 2024. Jack was born February 4, 1928, to the late Seward Morrison “Bud” Corson and Leona Angie Bunnell in Maine, New York.

Jack is predeceased by his wife of 71 years, Dorothy Jean Corson. He is survived by three sons, Roger (Haewon), David (Bonnie), and Mark; two daughters, Dana (William) and Diane (Peter); eight grandchildren; and twenty-three great-grandchildren. He is survived by two siblings, Diana and Norma; and is predeceased by siblings, Richard, Daniel, Beatrice, Loretta, Terrance, Douglas, Linda, and Betsey.

In 1950, Jack and Dorothy were married at the Methodist church in Maine, New York. Prior to his marriage, he served in the US Navy aboard the USS Warrington (DD-843) Gearing-class destroyer.

Jack’s first work was with his father, Seward M. Corson, who owned and operated a sawmill in Maine, New York. He had a side job digging cellars with his bulldozer. Later, he and his family moved to upstate New York, where he worked on the St. Lawrence Seaway project. He was an oiler on one of the two largest drag lines in the world at that time. Following the Seaway, work took him all along the St. Lawrence river from Ogdensburg to Niagara Falls. He worked on the Niagara Falls power project. Later returning to the area of his birthplace, he was a heavy equipment operator for many road construction projects in New York state. Eventually relocating to Crown Point, Indiana, he was a foreman for Heckett Engineering at Inland Steel.

After retirement, his hobby was traveling to antique tractor and steam engine shows. It was then that he owned a 30 HP Case steam traction engine. He also had a half-scale scratch-built steam traction engine. He found and purchased the Frick stationary steam engine that his father had used to power one of his sawmills. He was a member of a few agricultural historical organizations, including the Oklahoma Steam Threshers & Gas Engine Association of Pawnee, Oklahoma, the Northern Indiana Historical Power Association, and the Lake County Historical Society of Lake County, Indiana.

Jack was a member of many churches, including the Baptist Church in West Windsor, New York, where he served as a youth director, West Colesville Baptist church in West Colesville, New York, Merrillville Baptist Church in Merrillville, Indiana, and Heritage Baptist Church in Crown Point, Indiana.

A Funeral Service for Jack will be held on Monday July 15, 2024 at 1:00 pm at Chapel Lawn Funeral Home, 8178 Cline Avenue, Crown Point, IN 46307. A Visitation for Jack will be held from 11:00 am until time of the service. Burial will be at 2:00 pm at Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ChapelLawnFunerals.com for the Corson family.